Quick walk to the top of Rudry Common as light faded this evening -2 woodcock flew up from the bracken near the summit (backlit by the orange glow of Caerphilly),2 tawny owl heard and a snipe added a point to my PWC list.

G.N. Diver still present, earlier this morning it was close in near the Norwegian Church (unfortunately I was looking from St David’s Hotel!) then drifted back out towards the middle. Lesser Scaup still on the reserve, no sign of the hybrid. At least 3 Black Redstarts around Penarth Marina (1 male, 2 females).

The Glaucous was still at Sker this morning on the rocks at the point [per DCB], but there has been no sign of the bird at Cosmeston all morning, until 12:30 at least. Just the aberrant Herring Gull there of interest.

There is a local midweek field trip to Cosmeston & Cardiff Bay next Weds, 21st Jan. I will be on holiday so if you are interested please contact Alan Rosney who has kindly agreed to lead it. Tel 01443 841555, 07906558489, or alanrosney at gmail.com.

Flight views of a Bittern, Jack & Common Snipe in the East Pool Marsh and a dog Otter in the middle of the pool.

Went back later and got some shots – bird still totally knackered – hope it survives.

Today’s immature Glaucous Gull at Pink Bay. Appears to me to be a 1st winter bird. It has a bad leg but otherwise seems healthier than the Cosmeston bird. Two turning up in one day in East Glamorgan. What a nice surprise!

Here’s a flight shot of the Glaucous gull

http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/portfolio/h1e15f571#h1e15f571

and some other standing and flying shots
http://andyburnsphotography.zenfolio.com/p940206869/h31490505#h31490505

The poor bird seemed very tired and spent most of the time lying down.
Great spot John and thanks for letting us know.

At the end of a v cold, sometimes wet, and windy dog walk, this was a nice surprise when I got back to the swan area by E lake. [digiphoned pic]. 2nd cal yr Glaucous Gull

Pochard numbers have dropped to 20 or so. With them on the West Lake this morning a drake Shoveler and at least 5 Gadwall. On the East Lake a Common Gull and an adult Yellow-legged Gull, and a male Bullfinch near the entrance to the mediaeval village. A Raven flew over the car park.

Quick shufty this morning revealed 21 Little Grebe in the river there. Meant to go to Hamadryad Park but impossible to park round by the old Hamadryad hospital/Clarence Embanment – whole road chock-a-block with commuters’ cars, as was Windsor Esplanade. No cash with me for St David’s Hotel car park. {commuters’ apostrophe corrected after chastisement from Dave Bush 🙂 }

Unexpected garden visitor this morning, presumably flushed out by the snow (!). First one I have seen in my close. Sorry for dodgy record shot.

A male goosander 50+ Canada geese 150 black h gulls usual Pochards tufteds mallard moorhens coots and14 mute swan of interest was a coot with a leg ring b r x anyone know who is ringing coots..? At the nearby amenites tip 22 magpies est 300 herring gulls on the river tawe 3 female goosander

Per Micky Maher

Overton: 3 woodlark in usual turnip field.

Wernffrwd: (HW this morning): merlin (f), great white egret, ringtail hen harrier, slav grebe (2).

Made 2 visits looking for the GG SHRIKE today.. total 4 hours to no avail… Talked to the local farmer who is a keen naturalist(?) who said he hadn’t spotted it since the group was there on Sunday… Oh well.!

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Anyway: Couple of pairs of stone chats kept me company. Along with a snipe, buzzard, pair of ravens, flyover peregrine, pair of bullfinches and several mobile reed buntings

Here is a record shot of the bird.

The Red ring has the code “PLE3”

Unfortunately the email for the Polish contact is bouncing back,

I dont suppose anyone has recorded this bird in the area previously have they?

Lol M

before the rain. 1 AdW Med Gull [ta to Lol Middleton for the call], 1 Ad Yellow-legged Gull, and 1 Common Gull amongst the Herrings, Lesser B-b’s, and Black-headeds.

A very wet morning, but still managed to increase my tally to 49 species for the Patchwork Challenge, a good start to the year. Highlights were 2 different groups of Teal, 12 at Watermill with a Grey Heron and 5 out on the meadow. A female Goosander flew east along the Ewenny River and there were 7 Curlew with 20 Canada Geese and 2 Little Egret out on Ogmore Castle Meadow. Nearby a pair of Raven were displaying and single Lesser and Great black-backed Gulls had ventured up-river but headed back towards the treatment works. There were small flocks of 20-30 Redwing and single Jays at Merthyr Mawr, Tymaen and Craig-y-parcau.

Yesterday afternoon, the Lsr Scaup was present but the hybrid resembling it had left the reserve and was showing well with some Tufted Ducks just down stream from Grangetown flyover ( Butetown Link Road A4232 ) on the reserve side of the Taff.

after trying twice yesterday, gave it one more try on the way home from Whiteford\Broughton this morning and the GG shrike was perched-up adjacent to the minor road to Lunnon.It then flew from perch to perch between both sides of the north gower road, even got a few pics. They seem a pretty rare site on Gower itself, so was most happy to connect.It looked stunning, especially on a gloomy an. morning. At Whiteford, approx. 245 sanderling the only birds of note